When Innovation Runs in Your Veins- The Future of Mining

Meet the Next Generation of Innovators

Five Emerging Companies Participate in the Second Annual Mining Solutions Bootcamp

Telluride was founded on innovation and entrepreneurship: from Nicolas Tesla’s first AC power transmission to electrify the mines to the creation of a world-class economy of recreation and the arts. MSI, Telluride Venture Network (TVN), and Newmont have partnered with five emerging companies for the second annual Mining Solutions Bootcamp to help accelerate the development of new solutions to address old problems, and to support the next generation of pathbreaking innovation for sustainable mining. Phoenix Tailings (Woburn, MA), Copperstone Technologies (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), Intersphere (Fort Collins, CO), GenoMines (Paris, France), and AVIVID Water Technology (Longmont, CO) are the five companies who have joined this year's Bootcamp and will present at this year’s San Juan Mining & Reclamation Conference.
 
When we caught up with the founders of these companies, it became clear that a major focus is finding the perfect harmony between modern technology and environmental stewardship. Ben Toms, founder of Intersphere, looks for the “win-win” scenarios for mining companies and the environment, “since so many modern conveniences (including renewable energy) rely on the future of mining.” Using a combination of AI technology and scientific expertise, Intersphere provides seamless weather and climate forecasts from the next minute through the next decades to help mining operations prepare for impactful weather conditions. According to Toms, “People are working to ensure mining is sustainable for both the profits of mining companies and the environment, and that’s a trend all of society will benefit from.”

Craig Milne, of Copperstone Technologies, finds inspiration in the application of new technologies to make human labor easier- and safer. “We believe robots can enable humans to reach further, tread lighter, and stay safer.  Drones and AI are making mining safer and more efficient in many contexts.  At Copperstone, we have developed a unique propulsion system that permits unprecedented access to tailings, enabling advanced geo-data collection.  We’re inspired by the Mars robots and the concepts of AI-driven management of the dull, dirty and dangerous places on Earth.” Copperstone Technologies, based out of Alberta, Canada, uses that belief to further drive their innovation of using robotic services to investigate hazardous sites.

Meanwhile, Avivid Water Technology focuses on using modern technology to improve the current state of one of the earth’s most precious resources. Using patented electrocoagulation process, Avivid works to treat waters contaminated with emulsified oils, heavy metals, arsenic, suspended solids, and microorganisms without sludge buildup. Tracy Kessner, founder of Avivid, wants to see companies moving towards zero waste and/or zero discharge and turning waste materials into a value-add product. Kessner says that is a “triple win for the company, the environment, and local communities. Water is becoming too scarce to consider contaminated water a waste product for disposal. Reclaiming wastewater for reuse or release, reducing waste material created as part of the wastewater treatment process, and then mining that waste material for valuable metals and minerals is what Avivid's TurboCoag® is developed to do.”

The innovations generated by these participating companies are clearly finding modern solutions to old problems, ranging from harvesting metals and raw materials recycled from mining waste with zero direct carbon emissions (Phoenix Tailings); robotic services for hazardous site investigations that keep people out of harm’s way at contaminated sites (Copperstone Technologies); genetically enhancing metal hyperaccumulator plants to produce bio-sourced metals and limit the environmental impact on mining sites (GenoMines); and advancing water purification using patented electrocoagulation process to treat contaminated waters without sludge buildup (AVIVID).

The Mining Solutions Bootcamp brings together business start-ups addressing issues in the reclamation, mining, and clean water industries to participate in high-impact mentoring, strategic coaching, and networking with industry experts and investors. The partnership aims to support companies addressing all parts of reclamation, water treatment, monitoring, remote sensing and communication, and economic cost recovery through secondary products, recovery of metals, and/or repurpose of byproducts. This year’s Bootcamp is a hybrid of virtual and in-person instruction, discussion, and networking, culminating in participants “pitching” their products (and participating in) the Annual San Juan Mining & Reclamation Conference taking place in Telluride, CO. The hybrid model has enabled participation from companies as far away as Canada and France.

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Elevate Your Impact: Donate Today

Moving Mountains 2021

Drought Monitor Map as of May 20, 2021 from the U.S. Drought Monitor (droughtmonitor.unl.edu).

Are you ready to get out into the mountains and on the river this summer? We certainly are, especially after spending a year isolated and indoors. But despite a good rain last week, these gusty afternoon winds continue to strip away moisture from our plants and our snowpack dwindles each day, and thoughts of drought and wildfire are on our minds as well. Just as we worked together as a community to tackle the pandemic, we will need to collaborate to mitigate the impacts of drought on our environment, economy, and overall well-being. 

On the map, it’s a blood-red color. Exceptional Drought. A quick glance at the 2021 Drought Monitor Map shows currents of drought, moving like a riptide, across the entire Western United States. Here in Southwest Colorado, all three designations swirl around us. Severe Drought includes decreased snowpack, low river flows, and an extended wildfire season. Extreme Drought causes large-scale wildfires, reduced recreational use of rivers and lakes, and fish kills due to low flows and increased water temperatures. And Exceptional is just that: at this highest level, we can expect significant agricultural and recreational economic impacts, dust storms and topsoil erosion, and unprecedented fire events.  

MSI’s Water Programs Research Associate Mandy Eskelson throws a bucket from Baker’s Bridge to collect water samples.

Luckily for the health and protection of our communities, MSI is also exceptional, and we are not intimidated by the ever-changing climate realities before us. Instead, we are on the ground with a probe in the current—measuring, analyzing, and reporting. Our Water Team recently published their Post-416 Fire Aquatic Monitoring Report, showing the recovery of our rivers and streams after wildfire events. Our Forest Health program continues to expand the Southwest Wildfire Impact Fund which secures financing for cross-boundary forest restoration projects throughout the San Juan Mountains. And just a few weeks ago, our Community Science Program engaged our teachers, students, and community members through MSI’s Annual San Juan Resilience Youth Summit, challenging our future leaders to find creative solutions to environmental issues.

But we certainly cannot do it alone. It takes our entire staff and breadth of programs, as well as our partners, collaborators, and your support to get this critical work done. We have spent the past year adapting and shifting, learning flexibility and patience, and through it all you were there. We are so grateful for your support, but we still need your help. As the demands on our local ecosystems increase, so must the reach of Mountain Studies Institute.

Big issues require big solutions. 

By giving to our Moving Mountains Campaign, you will:

• support science-based projects for forest restoration and cross-boundary collaboration

• improve watershed health through volunteer and youth programs to remove invasive species, spread native seedballs, and collect water samples to monitor fire impacts

• keep our environment healthy and communities safe so we can get outside and enjoy summer—and future summers—in the San Juans

Please consider elevating your impact by becoming a Base Supporter, Mountain Mover or member of our Summit Circle. Each of these membership levels comes with special gifts and opportunities. By increasing your donation, you are also increasing our ability to address the growing environmental concerns that affect the ecosystems and communities of the San Juan Mountains. 

Thank you for giving to MSI. Together, we can move mountains.     

MSI volunteers plant 900 new trees in 416 burn area

Despite a snowy forecast, a group of volunteers gathered at 9 a.m. Saturday in the 416 Fire burn area near Hermosa for an Arbor Day tree planting.

The planting was organized by the nonprofit Mountain Studies Institute in partnership with the San Juan National Forest, said Amanda Kuenzi, MSI’s community science director.

She said 52 volunteers registered for the event, many of whom were excited because they have wanted to do something to help the burn area heal for a long time, and Saturday was the first day that the public has been invited to plant trees there.

The group had secured 900 trees – 600 ponderosa pine and 300 Douglas firs – to plant in the burn area. By about 11 a.m., all of the trees had been planted.

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